‘Grave Diggers Union’ #1 Creates A Unique Supernatural World; You Will Dig This Book

The supernatural world has gone crazy! There are zombies, monster gods, swamp vampires, ghost storms, and space monkeys! The apocalypse is coming, and only the Gravediggers Union can stop it! How? Well, first their leader Cole has to find his estranged daughter. But is she the one behind the apocalypse? 

The Grave Diggers Union #1
Written by: Wes Craig
Art by: Wes Craig & Toby Cypress
Colors by: Niko Guardia
Letters & Design: Jared K. Fletcher
Published by: Image Comics

Writing

Grave Diggers Union was a book I had my eye on. Having been a fan of Wes Craig’s work on Deadly Class, I was keen on picking this up as soon as it hit. And although Craig might have made his name as an artist, he has obvious writing chops as well. This comic creates a unique concept in the world of horror/supernatural comics. The Union is not your typical monster fighting team. With their overalls, surly demeanor and humor, they have a refreshingly realistic and grounded ‘working class’ attitude that contrasts all the insanity going on. There seems to be real thought given to the hierarchy of how the organization works, with those on the ground floor showing disdain for the bureaucracy of the higher-ups. If I was going to compare it to something, it would be Mike Mignola’s Hellboy (an influence I am sure) but this is far from a copy of that. 

Art

The art here is a total stand out. Not only are the pencils fantastic, but the colors, layouts, lettering, and design of the whole thing are on point and completely complementary to each other. There is a texture to the pages, weight to the line work and mood in the colors. You can also feel a strong classic comics (especially EC horror comics) to the style. Nothing here is ‘assembly line’ comic book making, every aspect of the production adds to the look. 

Conclusion

I am definitely sticking with this book to see where it goes. This has the makings of another unique hit for Image and it’s one of those titles people will surely soon be talking about in the industry. Pick it up at your local comic shop today!